Politics & Government

As it is in many U.S. states, income in Idaho is on an upward trend. Idaho lost ground in per capita personal income from 2009-2011 as it recovered from the Great Recession. But what’s also growing is the gap between personal income in Idaho and in the national as a whole.Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis show Idahoans earned less in 2012 than residents of almost every other state in the country.A closer look at hourly wages reveals half of Idaho’s workforce earned $14.58 an hour or less in 2012. The hourly wage in Idaho, on average, is $18.48.Idaho also had a larger share of hourly workers earning minimum wage in 2012 than ever before. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 31,000 Idahoans made $7.25 an hour or less in 2012. That’s a 63 percent increase from 2011.

Idaho Legislative Panel Backs State Employee Pay Raise

Boise State Public Radio News | By Associated Press

Published January 10, 2014 at 4:32 PM MST

A Republican and Democratic lawmaker panel unanimously backed a proposal for a 2 percent pay increase for Idaho's 17,000 state workers in fiscal year 2015, saying agencies had for too long relied on savings from attrition to boost their employees' checks.

The 18-member Change in Employee Compensation Committee said Friday the pay should be awarded on a merit basis.

Half the increase would be built into ongoing salaries, while the other half would be considered for the year starting in July only.

The measure is only a recommendation; the full Legislature would have to back such a push, which would cost taxpayers about $11 million.

Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter hasn't recommended a pay increase for state workers.

His budget chief, Jani Revier, declined comment after the meeting, which she attended.

Idaho Legislative Panel Backs State Employee Pay Raise

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